I heard this movie was awesome, and Ryan Gosling was amazing in it, so I watched it. Christ on the cross, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more boring and ill-executed movie in my life! The concept - a guy who adopts a realistic virtual sex doll as a substitute for an actual partner - is an interesting premise for a movie, but they managed to have a protagonist (portrayed by Gosling) with no personality whatsoever. He is not interesting to watch. He hardly ever says anything, and goes through the movie with the same hangdog expression on his face the whole way through. The other characters in the movie also react in a completely unrealistic way towards Lars’s relationship with the “real girl.” But rather than coming off as surreal or bizarrely interesting or compelling in some way, it just seems stupid and a pathetic stab at quirkiness.
Has anyone else seen this movie? Like it? Hate it?
Christ, I can’t believe I wasted my time watching this swill.
Edit: If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends: Streetcar Named Desire? Splendor in the Grass? Are you fucking kidding me? Yet another reason why IMDb gags on yak dong.
I watched it for like half an hour and then turned it off.
At first I thought it was supposed to be a comedy but after the first 20 minutes it became clear that it wasn’t… or that it was a REAAAAALLY bad comedy.
Saw this in the theater and loved it. Perhaps the subtlety of Goslings’ performance doesn’t come across on the small screen. He was playing someone so emotionally damaged that he was unable to relate to other people, that Bianca served as a way to practice dealing with people. He hid a huge amount of pain behind bland pleasantness that gradually came out later in the film.
One of my favorite bits was that Lars’ co-workers also had deep emotional attachments to inanimate objects (teddy bears and “action figures”) and the only difference was one of scale. Lars
I don’t know how the studio is trying to sell this film on DVD, but it’s not a “wacky comedy”. I’ll definitely be buying the film on DVD.
By the way, on another forum, I know a guy who owns two of these dolls. He lives in the middle of nowhere and is devoting a year or more to writing a book. They provide the same sort of companionship that smaller dolls or pets do. He has yet to see the film, but the writer credited the members of a Doll owner forum with providing material for her screenplay (a rare and classy move for a Hollywood writer, people who usually just steal).
Here is a 20 minute video documentary of four guys who own RealDolls and speak about what the dolls mean to them.
Haunting? Pathetic? Honest? You be the judge.
I loved the movie. I cried at the end (though this doesn’t mean much, as I’m a crier when it comes to movies that are even a little bit sad).
The whole point is that Gosling’s character is low personality. If he were a go-getting engaged type, he’d just date the co-worker that’s got a crush on him.
I also thought the portrayal of small town relationships was charmingly well done. Small town people can be pretty suspicious of new people and new things, but if someone respected decides its okay, then, well, whatever it is okay, and everyone will go out of their way to be as welcoming as possible.
The issue for me was that the character’s problem was more than ‘low personality’. He was seriously mentally ill. And the depiction of how such a sick person should be dealt with was laughable. I know that this film falls into the ‘fable’ category, but look at how much more successful “Harvey”, with Jimmy Stewart, handled a similar premise.
I absolutely loved this movie! I DID see it on the big screen, so that may have influenced my impression. I loved the portrayal of the town and how they
[spoiler]ALL came to accept Bianca. She got her own job. She was elected to the school board, for cryin’ out loud! I’m almost laughing out loud right now as I think about it!.
The other charming part of it for me was the “small town America” aspect of it. He was one of their own so they rallied around him to help him, despite the absurdity of situation. And the “we’re the ladies who sit” line. Tears to my eyes…
When he couldn’t wake up Bianca and his sister (sister-in-law? I forget) said, “Call 911!” I almost fell out of my seat laughing. [/spoiler]
Man, just thinking about this movie is improving my mood today…
What’s in that spoiler box is the reason I hated the damn movie so much. I hated how unrealistically everyone else reacted to his relationship with the doll, and how accepting they were of it. It was like it was trying to be somehow surreal and funny or something, but failed because Lars’s obvious status as a delusional schizophrenic was so NOT humorous at all.
Both my SO and I also thought it was one of the best films of the year.
i thought the film worked on several levels - the basic story was well-done, but the underlying theme of getting unconditional support from your family and friends was perhaps the best theme. Whether you are Gay, or fat, or ugly, or physically handicapped, or mentally challenged or whatever - the idea of the people surrounding you giving you that much support to work through those issues was inspiring. Lars had some serious issues, but instead of ridicule, he had a support system that allowed him to work through those issues and eventually come to terms with his problems.
I’m almost laughing out loud right now as I think about it!.